Device for air conditioning a number of rooms having mutually different heat requirements, preferably rooms having a heat requirement varying with time

ABSTRACT

A system for air conditioning buildings in which the heat generated by the bulbs in lighting fixtures selectively is used to heat the room, or is carried away with the exhaust air. The system injects central air into the room adjacent the fittings, and exhaust air from the room is conducted away first through the outside window area and then through the lighting fixtures either in a path in direct contact with the bulbs or in a path bypassing direct contact with the bulbs. Dampers are provided to control the proportion of flow through the two paths in the fixtures and thereby to control the proportion of the heat generated by the bulbs which is used to heat the room on one hand and the portion which is discharged with the exhaust air on the other hand. The dampers are controlled in accordance with the demand for heat in the room and an auxiliary heater is provided for the injected air, for operation when the bulbs do not supply sufficient heat to maintain the desired temperature in the space.

United Statesv atet l 1 1 Westergren [451 May 28, 1974 1 DEVICE FOR AIRCONDITIONHNG A NUMBER OF ROOMS HAVING MUTUALLY DIFFERENT HEATREQUIREMENTS, PREFERABLY ROOMS HAVING A HEAT REQUIREMENT VARYING WITHTIME [75] Inventor: Folke Westergren,Skarholmen,

Sweden [73] Assignee: Aktiebolaget Svenska Flaktfabriken,

Nacka, Sweden [22] Filed: Mar. 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 346,187

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 10,1972 Sweden ..4600/72[52] US. Cl 165/22, 98/40, 165/123 [51] Int. Cl F241 3/00 [58] Field ofSearch 98/40 DL; 165/22, 50, 122,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,065,686 11/1962 Geocaris98/40 3,103,157 9/1963 Quin 98/40 3,742,837 7/1973 Samuellson 98/40Primary Examiner-Charles Sukalo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dorfman,Herrell and Skillman; Henry H. Skillman [57] ABSTRACT A system for airconditioning buildings in which the heat generated by the bulbs inlighting fixtures selectively is used to heat the room, or is carriedaway with the exhaust air. The system injects central air into the roomadjacent the fittings, and exhaust air from the room is conducted awayfirst through the outside window area and then through the lightingfixtures either in a path in direct contact with the bulbs or in a pathbypassing direct contact with the bulbs. Dampers are provided to controlthe proportion of flow through the two paths in the fixtures and therebyto control the proportion of the heat generated by the bulbs which isused to heat the room on one hand and the portion which is dischargedwith the exhaust air on the other hand. The dampers are controlled inaccordance with the demand for heat in the room and an auxiliary heateris provided for the injected air, for operation when the bulbs do notsupply sufficient heat to maintain the desired temperature in the space.

5 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure DEVICE FOR AIR CONDITIONING A NUMBER OF ROOMSHAVING MUTUALLY DHFFERENT HEAT REQUIREMENTS, PREFERABLY ROOMS HAVING AHEAT REQUIREMENT VARYING WITH TIME The present invention concerns adevice for airconditioning a number of rooms, the heat requirements ofwhich are different and vary especially with regard to time, and whichrooms are connected to a central airconditioning aggregate, and in whichrooms are installed heat-radiating light fittings, the fittings beingcooled by means of the known method whereby air discharged from therooms circulates around them and in which the temperature of air fromthe central aggregate is adjusted for the room in the building which hasthe greatest heat load.

The hitherto most advanced system for airconditioning in this field ofengineering, e.g. office rooms, hotels and dwelling spaces, is what isknown as the four-dust system. In installations of this kind the airbeing pretreated in a central aggregate is supplied as primary air andis fed into the blow units arranged in each room, in which units the airis retreated in two completely separate heat exchangers each equippedwith two tubes for supplying the warm medium and discharging the coldmedium. The advantage of the 4-tube system is that it is flexible andrenders possible the prompt provision of the greatest feasible aircomfort for those in the rooms in accordance with the season andtwentyfour hours variations respectively. Nevertheless, the 4- tubesystem has disadvantages as well above all the high costs of parts andthe installation of these. As the air injection comes from the windowside of the rooms, the 4 tube system requires piping along the facade ofthe building. Often special, hollow columns or shafts are necessary forthe piping. The device according to the present invention is intended toprovide an alternative to the aforesaid 4-tube system. A device inaccordance with the succeeding claims and description affords a lowerinitial capital expenditure and installation cost, as well as it avoidswater pipes out on the facades which, considering the risk of waterdamage in case of a leakage, is desirable from the standpoint ofinsurance. The only disadvantage for the new model is the operationalcost, which is somewhat higher than for the 4-tube system.

The device according to the invention is primarily characterized in thatthe heat radiating from the light fittings is adapted for the additionalheating of the other premises, by that in accordance with the individualheating requirements of the premises a regulated portion of the coolingdischarge air from said rooms is channelled through a by-pass ductpassing outside the light fittings. An advantageous embodiment of thedevice is characterized in that the channelling of discharge air iseffected by means of the dampers placed partly in an air duct whichpasses along the side of the light fittings and partly in said by-passduct, said both dampers being readjusted by means of a common motor. Anadvantageous embodiment of the device applied in rooms equipped with socalled exhaust air windows in which exhaust air is caused to passthrough the exhaust air windows and through one or both of said ducts,is characterized in that for the purpose of the concentrated assembly ofthe air supply and air discharge ducts connected to the centralaggregate, the air supply device is installed immediately close to theair supply duct at the end of the rooms opposite to exhaust air window.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to theattached drawing showing a schematic illustration of the interactingparts of the device.

In the drawing, 1 indicates an air supply duct for the feeding ofpretreated primary air from a central aggregate not shown in thedrawing, and 2 is an air supply device, while 4 shows an opening for theevacuation of discharge air from room L 5 stands for an exhaust airwindow and 6 is a suction box for the exhaust air window. 7 is a ductfor conducting exhaust air along the light fittings designated LR LRetc. A corresponding by-pass duct for carrying away the exhaust air pastthe fittings is designated as 8. 9 and 10 are dampers which are fittedinto ducts 7 and 8 respectively. The damper motor for adjusting(changing) these dampers is designated as l1. l2 stands for the airdischarge duct used in the removal of exhaust air. 13 denotes anelectric heating element, and 14 is the designation for the air supplydevice in its entirety with discharge screen 15 and screen 3 for localair which is also ejected and recirculated. A screen under the lightfittings and duct 7 is designated as 16.

Pretreated primary air is supplied through the air supply duct 1 and isfed into the room through the air supply device 2 operating with apressure drop of approximately 25 mm/water col. As the temperature ofthe primary air is low, air from the room is ejected in through screen 3so that the temperature of the supply air is as close to the roomtemperature as possible. Exhaust air is evacuated either through anopening 4 and the exhaust air window 5 to the suction box 6 or directlyfrom the room to said suction box 6, and then the air either passesthrough the fittings or its duct 7 or alternatively through the by-passduct 8, depending on the position of the dampers 9 and 10. If the damper9 is closed, all the exhaust air will pass through the fitting duct, andthe main portion of the electric power input to the fittings will becarried away with exhaust air via the air exhaust duct 12. If, on theother hand the damper 9 is open and the damper 10 is completely closed,all the exhaust air will pass around the fittings through the by-passduct 8, and the entire electric power input to the fittings will besupplied to the room, which means that said rooms will be heated. Thedampers 9 and 10 are constructed with an infinitely variable regulation,and thus the room can be furnished with more or less heat.

When the damper 10 is completely closed and accordingly all the heat isadmitted into the room, it may happen that in certain types of weatherthe heat will not be sufficient to maintain the right temperature. Onsuch occasions a contact on the damper 10 sends an impulse to theelectric element 10 to switch on and thereby the primary air is heatedin order to maintain the temperature in the room.

I claim:

1. A system for air conditioning buildings having a plurality of roomswith heat-generating lighting fixtures therein including inlet means,means to condition and inject central air into each room, and means toexhaust air from the room including a passageway through the lightfixture, a bypass passage around said light fixture, and means to adjustthe heat imparted to said exhaust air by said fixture by regulating theportions of the exhaust air flowing through said two passages.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said two passages comprise anair duct running inside of the light fixture and a bypass duct parallelto said air duct, said adjusting means comprising two dampersrespectively positioned in said air duct and bypass duct and a commonmotor to adjust said dampers concurrently to regulate the proportion ofexhaust air flowing through said ducts.

3. A system according to claim I wherein said rooms are provided withexhaust air windows having an exhaust air duct for two passages beingcommonly connected to said exhaust air duct of the window.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said room has two oppositesides confronting each other, said window being positioned in one ofsaid sides and said air inlet for central air being positioned in theother of said sides.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said light fixture has a lensscreen positioned in the ceiling of the room and said central air inletmeans is positioned adjacent said screen to cause the air to flow acrosssaid screen.

1. A system for air conditioning buildinGs having a plurality of roomswith heat-generating lighting fixtures therein including inlet means,means to condition and inject central air into each room, and means toexhaust air from the room including a passageway through the lightfixture, a bypass passage around said light fixture, and means to adjustthe heat imparted to said exhaust air by said fixture by regulating theportions of the exhaust air flowing through said two passages.
 2. Asystem according to claim 1 wherein said two passages comprise an airduct running inside of the light fixture and a bypass duct parallel tosaid air duct, said adjusting means comprising two dampers respectivelypositioned in said air duct and bypass duct and a common motor to adjustsaid dampers concurrently to regulate the proportion of exhaust airflowing through said ducts.
 3. A system according to claim 1 whereinsaid rooms are provided with exhaust air windows having an exhaust airduct for two passages being commonly connected to said exhaust air ductof the window.
 4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said room hastwo opposite sides confronting each other, said window being positionedin one of said sides and said air inlet for central air being positionedin the other of said sides.
 5. A system according to claim 4 whereinsaid light fixture has a lens screen positioned in the ceiling of theroom and said central air inlet means is positioned adjacent said screento cause the air to flow across said screen.